Set your financial goals
Build an emergency fund
Pay off high-interest debt
Choose an investing account
Research index funds
Compare expense ratios
Check fund tracking error
Review fund size and liquidity
Decide between mutual funds and ETFs
Open and fund your account
Place your buy order
Set up automatic investments
Reinvest dividends
Diversify across index funds if needed
Rebalance periodically
Stay invested long term
Avoid frequent trading
Monitor fees and taxes